Stop valve for torpedoes



Feb. 16, 1932. w. DIETER STOP VALVE FOR TORPEDOES Filed May 29, 1928 A 1 w n h 7 1 5 E U y u a INYENTOR Patented Feb. 16, 1932 was ST WILLIAM DIETER, or NEW RK; NEW JERSEY).

s'ror VALVE nor. 'ronrnnons Application filed May 29, 1928; Serial No. 281,557.

This invention relates to automobile torpedoes of which the Bliss-Leavitt torpedo, the standard of the United States Navy, is an example, in which compressed air from a flask or reservoir is passed at reduced pressure through a heater in which a combustible such as alcohol is burned, and into which water is sprayed, and the resulting mixture of combustion gases and steam is discharged to drive a to turbine or other motor by which the torpedo is propelled.

The construction upon which the present invention is directly an improvement is that set forth in my United States Patent No. 1,656,269, granted January 17,1928. Reference may also be made to my Patent No. 1,319,992, dated October 28, 1919, and patent to F. M. Leavitt, No. 1,022,486, dated April 9, 1912. In such torpedoes it is customary' to construct the fuel or alcohol tank as a vessel which is located withinthe water tank, and

which, for economizin'g weight, is made with relatively thin walls. In order to avoid any liability of either bursting or collapsing the alcohol tank by reason of any inequality of pressures in the respective alcohol and water chambers, it is important to insure that the pressures in the two chambers shall be kept uniform, or so nearly so as to be well within the resistance of the thin metal walls of the alcohol tank. The object of the present invention is to provide improved means for accomplishing this result.

erence to the accompanyingdrawings which illustrate its preferred embodiment,.and in which: v V I Figure 1 is a fragmentary longitudinalverical mid-section of the mid-portion of the torpedo, corresponding to the upper part of Fig. 1 in said Patent No. 1,656,269. a

Fig. 2 is a. fragmentary vertical inid-sed' tion through the upper part of the stop valves, the view corresponding to Fig. 3 in said patent. v Fig. 3 is a horizontal section in the plane of the line 3-3 in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a vertical section of the stop valves.

the liquidscauses an outflow The invention will be explained with' 'ref- Referring to Figure l, A is'a part of the M hull of the torpedo, B is a fragment of the compressed air fiask, C is a fragment ofv the valve group, including the pressure-reducing valve, by which the flask pressure (or high pressurefair) is reduced to a working pressure of usually approximately 400 pounds per square inch, (herein called low-pressure air) and E designates the usual stop valves. 6 From the low pressure conduit 6 conducting working pressure from the reducer to the superheater and motor, leads a tube 9 conductin low-pressure air to the stop-valves E, an when these valves are opened thelow-preQssure air is conveyed through ducts or tubes h, i, .to the upper parts of the respective liquid tanks. These are shownas of the usual construction, the watertank'I-I being formed within a prolongation of the" pressure flask shelland enclosed by a head j"; and the fuel or alcohol tank I being mounted concentrically within it. The tubes h, i, open into the upper parts of these tanks above the liquid levels therein, and the pressure thereby putupon from the bot,- toms of the respective tanks through ducts which convey fuel and water to thesuperheater in a manner well understood. Highpressure air is led from the'high-pressure side of the valve group C through a tube etc the lower part of the valve shell J, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4.

So far as described the construction the same as shown in my said Patent No. 1,656,- 26-9, in which the parts are designated by the same letters of reference here used.

According to the present invention coni-. munication is afiiorded between the interiors of the tanks H and I whenever one of them contains an excess pressure of air, so that thepressure in the twotanks shall be automatically equalized or sufficiently so to avoid risk of injury. For this purpose a by pass 6 (Fig. 1) is connected between the upper parts or air chambers of the respectivetanks,

this connection being most conveniently made to bridge across between the tubes h and 71, as shown somewhat diagrammatically in-Fig. 1. It is desirablethat this by-pass should be cl0sed, eXcept when] the by causing it torpedo has been launched, and for this purpose it is provided with any suitable cutoff valve 7, with means for operating it so that when the torpedo is in storage or being handled, and at any time before the turning on of compressed air from the air flask, it will normally close the by-pass and thereby prevent any possible outflow of either water or alcohol through their connecting ducts and the by-pass, which might result in a mixture of alcohol and water. The construction is such that upon the occurrence of an excess pressure in one of these tanks the cut-ofi' valve 7 shall be automatically opened, so that the pressures in thetwo tanks shal b thereby s tantial y qua A suitable construction for this purpose is the provision, -f a piston or equivalent pressureoperated part 8 movable in a shell or cylinder S and co nected by a em 1 to h bu 'f valve 7, a spring 11 being applied tohold the cut-.o-if valve normally closed. The cylinder 9. connected by a duct to either of the tubes In, or F g l. it. is sho n s connected y 1 a duc 2 o the t h. comm c g t the water tank In F g. it i wn. conn c e by uct 1.7 to t be omm n ca i g W th fuel tan I.- On he admiss on pr to the water ta k, r lino-1. th occurren of pr sure-therein by reason of any leakage, this pressur when sufiiei nt to v eome e stress of. the spring 1,, Wi l open the valve 7 d thereb open the by paee- In the pre rre c n ruct on e. y-p valve and its perating m ans re u lt. into the shel as the S p a v E, for con.- venienoe, and this nstru t n is sho in Figs. 28nd 3., The stop. valves E are or may bee -th us al. onstruct o ho n n my said pa ent a d. compri ing a val e h l J having openi gs nec ed to an mi g pa ts of t especti e d et g, lready d s r d, andhav ng wo ch mb h,

enc osing two. stop alves pnorma ly p esse toh i seat y springs 9 a d l ft to p n communication upon the turning on of air at high pressure at the'startin'g or the torpedo through, pipe 12, which admits the highnress e ir into hamber ene th t iolungers 8 w ich ar ed. up y is pre sure and lift the stems p of the two, valves 7 p, p, as exp ined in. y ai p t- The constructiontherein shown is now modified ac ording t my prese t nve i n nly to the extentthatihe same valve shell is enlerged. o term a chamber lo or the e val e, he latt r cons st ng of a p nge 7 movabl n. th s chamb r an nne y a rod. o stem 1 to. e p s on ,8, the Valve shell formingalsovthe cylinder 9 for this piston. This cylinder 9- is p te l y a a 16 within which is enclosed the spring 11 which acts upon the piston 8 to. press thecut-ofi' valve to its closed position. Themainvalve shell is also formed with a port 6, and anis shown in this instance as leading from the chamber 71 which communicates with the alcohol vessel I.

WVhen upon the launching of the torpedo the starting valve is opened, admitting comressed air at hi h )ressure'from the air flask to the reducing valve, and at reduced pressurefrom the latter to the superheater and motor, and also through the duct 9 to the stop valves E and thence through the tubes h, c, to the respective liquid tanks, the

occurrence of such pressure in the valve chamber i is accompanied by a flow through the duct 17 into the cylinder, thereby displacing the piston 8 and withdrawing the plunger valve 7, so that the by-pass 6 is opened. So long as any pressure is maintained in the chamber 2" suiiicient to overcome the stress of the spring 11, the valve 7 will be held open and the by-pass will permit any excess of pressure to flow from either chamber into the other, and will thereby equalize the pressures in the water and alcohol tanks. This condition will continue not only during the run of the torpedo, but subsequently, so long as any such pressure continues in the respective tanks.

One advantage of the present invention is that it enables the alcohol tank to be made of thinner sheet-metal than heretofore without danger of collapse or bursting,

When the torpedo is first charged, the compressed air is confined to the air, flask and does not extend beyond the starting valve; so thatthere is no air pressure in the valve chambers h, c", and the piston 8 receiving the pressure of its spring 11 holds the cut-off valve 7 in position to close the by-pass 6. Consequently the torpedo may be rolled and otherwise handled, and may be oscillated by the rolling of the ship, without any communication being established between the interiors oi the two tanks under normal conditions, so that there can be no intermixing of the liquids.

It, how-ever a leakage of compressed alr should occur into the water tank H during this period, the by-pass will become operative ,to equalize the pressures within the two tanks.

Such leaka e mi ht and sometimes does occur by reason of a slight leakage in the joint'between the flask head B and the outer wall of the flask; such leaka e admittin air into 7 b Y b 1 the water tank H. When by reason of such leakage the pressure in the water tank; sufficiently exceeds that in the alcohol tank to endanger the thin metal shell or Wall of the latter, the piston 8 responding to such pressure overcomes the stress of its spring and opens fective directly against the piston; if, how

ever, the construction is as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, this pressure entering the valve chamber it will act against the end of the valve 7 and will similarly displace the valve andpiston against the stress of the spring 11.

In the event of leakage occurring in the valve system of the torpedo, whereby compressed a-ir would be communicated through the duct 9 to the stop valves 27, if this pressure were suflicient to overcome the stress of the springs 9, air would leak past these stop valves into one or both of the liquid tanks; if such leakage occurred. through only one valve, the pressure within the corresponding liquid tank would soon preponderate over that in the other; a similar result might occur if the leakage occurred through both valves'at such rates respectively that by reason of the different capacities of the respective tanks, the pressure in the smaller one would in time exceed that in the other. In any such event the occurrence of such pressure opens the cut-off valve and thereby makes the by-pass effective to substantially equalize the pressures in the two tanks.

At the end of a run, when the working pressure ceases, the stop valves 39 are closed by their springs to thereby confine in the water and alcohol tanks whatever air pressure then exists; if afterward leakage occurs,

the bypass, by remaining open so long as any pressure exists in either tank, insures the substantial equalization of pressure in the two tanks.

After a practice run, when the torpedo is to berecharged, the removal of the. top plug from the water tank permits any residual air pressure to blow out therefrom, and if asimilar pressure were retained in the alcohol tank, this might result in the bursting of the walls of this tank; this also is prevented by the operation of the by-pass, since even if the cut-off valve 7 was not open, it will be opened instantly upon the occurence of any pressure sufiicient to overcome the stress of spr ng 11.

The present invention adds to the advantage otherwise inherent in the construction of my said Patent No. 1,656,269, in that it enables the exact amount of alcohol used in a practice run to be ascertained. It will be understood that according to that patent the stop valves E and F are both operated by high-pressure air, which enables their respectiVe poppet valves Q to be seated by much stronger springs q to make practically ideal tight closure which prevents ordinarily any leakage of liquid past these valves; upon the shutting ofi of pressure than previously, whereby 7 at the end of a run the respective valves are thus strongly seated, so that any subsequent escape ofjliquid through either theupper or lower valves is prevented; consequently the amount of alcohol remaining in the tankafter the run may be measured and subtracted from the amount originally charged in,

whereby to ascertain exactly the amount of fuel consumedduring the run.

To insure the proper operation of the cutoff valve it is desirable to vent the interior of the piston chamber or cylinder 9 to the exterior, and for this purpose a small vent opening 19 is provided. It is desirable to discharge any air vented through this vent into the afterbody, in order to guard against'the admission of'salt water or grit into the piston chamber, for this purpose a small tube or duct 20 (Fig. 1) is desirably led from the vent19 rearwardly into the afterbody.

It is desirable in practice to make the plunger valve 7 a free working fit, so that a very slight leakage (imperceptible in Fig. 3) exists between the plunger valve and the walls of the valve chamber 15, case of an excess pressure in the chamber it this will not only act upon the area of the valve 7, but also will leak past this valve and act upon the larger area of the piston 8. This very slight leakage does not in-" capacitate the valve 7 from cutting off communication through the by-pass such as will prevent leakage of liquid from either tank to the other.

The invention may be otherwise applied than by the precise construction herein set forth, it being understood that it may be modified by the exercise of mechanical skill within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is 1- 1. In a torpedo having a source of highpressure and low-pressure air, and fuel and water tanks, and valves operated by highpressure air and admitting low-pressure air to said tanks during the run; means for preventing excess pressure in one tank over the other whilesaid valves are closed, comprising a bypass providing communication between said tanks and a pressure-operated valve therein.

:2. In a torpedo according to claim 1, the pressure-operated valve responsive to an'excess pressure in either tank and operating thereupon to open the by-pass.

'3. In a torpedo having an air-inlet pipe and fuel and water tanks, with intervening valves for admitting air pressure from said pipe to the tanks to expel their liquids, a bypass providing communication between the tanks, and a separate valve controlling said by-pass adapted to open communication therethrough upon the existence of excess pressure in one of said tanks.

4. In a torpedo having .an air-inlet pipe and fuel and water tanks, with valves for adso that in *to'them to expel their liquids, valves for conleast one of said tanks for mitting air pressure from said pipes to said tanks to expel their liquids, a by-pass operative When'said valves are 'olosedfor providing communication between the tanks, a valve controlling said by-pass, and pressure-responsive means in communication with at operating such valve. 7

5. In a torpedo having fuel and Water tanks with means for admitting air pressure trolling such pressure admission, a by-pass providing communication between the tanks,

a separate valve in said by-pass, a spring tending to close said valve, and a pressureresponsivemeans receiving pressure from one of said tanks to open said by-pass valve.

In Witness whereof, I have hereunto signed wmy name.

WILLIAM 'DIETER. 

